Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Review: Rising From The Ashes by Becky Garrison

Rising From The Ashes is an unusual look at the emerging church/alternative worship, church planting and church development scene, presented entirely as short articles, emails, interviews and even instant message conversations. Becky Garrison, a writer for the Wittenberg Door magazine, and author of Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church, asks the questions andContinue reading “Review: Rising From The Ashes by Becky Garrison”

Open Thread: What does it mean to “Let both grow together…?”

Matthew 13:27-30. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to goContinue reading “Open Thread: What does it mean to “Let both grow together…?””

Recommendation and Review: The End of Religion by Bruxy Cavey

A sample chapter is available here. Bruxy Cavey is the pastor of a Canadian emerging church called “The Meeting House” and author of The End of Religion, a book that gives a good look at the theology of the “mainstream” emerging church. Cavey pushed plenty of my happy buttons, with early admissions that he wasContinue reading “Recommendation and Review: The End of Religion by Bruxy Cavey”

The Long Dark Night Is Over….

Baseball fans: what are some of your thoughts and feelings as the new season begins? Best memories? Ironies? Tragedies? Tomorrow at 1:05 EST, the Cincinnati Reds will take the field against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, Florida. The long, dark winter of the soul will be over here in the Spencer household. My life runsContinue reading “The Long Dark Night Is Over….”

Are We Blogs? Or Ads? (Coming Clean)

I’d like to come clean about a couple of things. I’m not getting on anyone’s case here. I just believe I should get this on the record for my readers. First, I have a book review agreement with a major web site. They send me books to review every few weeks, and I actually reviewContinue reading “Are We Blogs? Or Ads? (Coming Clean)”

Coffee Cup Apologetics 36

Podcast 36 More response to “I Can’t Continue To Call Myself A Christian.” This podcast deals with the objection to God punishing a sincere believer in another religion. <a href="http://mondaymorninginsight.com/index.php/site/comments/i_cant_continue_to_consider_myself_a_christian/"The original post: Monday Morning Insight- "I Can't Consider Myself a Christian." The podcast website is Coffee Cup Apologetics. All the episodes of Coffee Cup ApologeticsContinue reading “Coffee Cup Apologetics 36”

Sermon: The Longest Journey is to Samaria

The lectionary text is John 4:5-42. I used the text as a launching place to look closely at Jesus and at the nature of the Good News we have to share. This is probably my last Sunday filling the pulpit at First Presbyterian London, Kentucky. Pastor Ted is ready to come back to ministry andContinue reading “Sermon: The Longest Journey is to Samaria”

The Empty Shelf in the Southern Baptist Bookstore

I’m very interested in what current SBTS and other SBC seminary students have to say about your future in the SBC. Will you stay if Calvinism becomes a divisive, “lose your job” issue in the SBC? Would you prefer a Driscoll, Piper or Mahaney Network (T4G) to the current SBC? CLARIFICATION: I’m a post-evangelical, andContinue reading “The Empty Shelf in the Southern Baptist Bookstore”